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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
advisory committee; subcommittee; exemption
Purpose
Exempts, from open meeting law, the exchange of communications among a quorum of a three-member advisory committee or subcommittee that involves a discussion or deliberation concerning a matter before the advisory committee or subcommittee.
Background
Open meeting law requires all meetings of a public body must be public, and any person desiring to attend a public meeting must be allowed to attend and listen to the deliberations and proceedings. Public bodies must provide written minutes, or a recording of all the body's meetings, including executive sessions. The minutes or recording of a public meeting must be made available for public inspection within three working days after the meeting. Within three working days after a meeting, except for subcommittees and advisory committees, a public body must also post on the body's website, a recording of the meeting or a statement describing the legal actions taken by the public body of a city or town during the meeting. Statute outlines exemptions from open meeting law for: 1) any judicial proceeding of any court; 2) any political caucus of the Legislature; 3) any conference committee of the Legislature, except that all such meetings must be open to the public; 4) the Arizona Commissions on Appellate and Trial Court Appointments; 5) the Arizona Commission on Judicial Qualifications; and 6) good cause exception and central registry exception determinations and hearings conducted by the Board of Fingerprinting.
An advisory committee or subcommittee is any entity, however designated, that is officially established, on motion and order of a public body or by the presiding officer of the public body, and whose members have been appointed for the specific purpose of making a recommendation concerning a decision to be made or considered or a course of conduct to be taken or considered by the public body (A.R.S. §§ 38-431; 38-431.01 and 38-431.08).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Exempts, from open meeting law, the exchange of communications among a quorum of a three-member advisory committee or subcommittee that involves a discussion or deliberation concerning a matter before the advisory committee or subcommittee.
2. Makes technical changes.
3. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
GOV 2/19/25 DP 7-0-0-0
3rd Read 2/26/25 57-1-2
Prepared by Senate Research
March 24, 2025
AN/DL/slp